AAA predicts a busier summer travel season

The summer travel season should open next weekend with about 32 million Americans on the road for Memorial Day, the AAA says.

The 32.1 million predicted to travel next weekend is up 5.4 percent from 2009's 30 million, with Midwesterners taking advantage of an improving economy and stable gas prices and other costs, said Randy Williams, president of AAA Minnesota/Iowa.

“With the current economic environment stronger than one year ago, more people will be encouraged to travel this Memorial Day holiday weekend,” said Williams. “AAA and many of our travel industry partners are experiencing improved business conditions this spring.”

At $2.79 a gallon, the average gas price in Iowa is about 50 cents higher than last year, said AAA spokeswoman Gail Weinholzer, but the club doesn't see any major spikes over the summer.”

We're not expecting any big jumps,” she said. ”The last week or so we've seen a decline, so I think people are ready to get out and enjoy their road trips.”

AAA's Leisure Travel Index finds air fares over the Memorial Day weekend unchanged from last year, with passengers paying a lowest average fare of $176 per ticket. Weekendcar rental rates will drop 15 percent, to $36.65 a day, and hotel rates will decline about 1 percent from last year, with travelers spending an average of $141.60 per night.

Nearly 28 million people, or 87 percent of all travelers, are expected to travel by motor vehicle, up 5.8 percent from 2009, even though gas prices are averaging 85 cents higher than 2009 across the US. About 2.15 million, or 6.7 percent of all travelers plan to fly this holiday weekend.

The average distance traveled by Americans this Memorial Day holiday weekend is forecast to be approximately the same as one year ago; 626 miles vs. 620 in 2009, AAA reported. Median spending is estimated to be $809 this Memorial Day.

AAA's projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight.